knoxnotes

by RP

11.10.24 - End of Semester Self-Reminders

Tame the Perfectionism

* I like making my outlines extremely pretty and neat, and insofar as that is motivation to do make them at all, do that

* But really, outlines need to get you through the exam and get you the grade you want, nothing else. Get it together. You can revise during reading week if needed.

* You don’t need to be able to get everything in there, and shouldn’t try

* There are lot of ways to sort the information and group concepts, just like there’s usually a few ways to slice and dice legal issues in a brief, don’t get hung up here

* Do what makes sense in your brain, and don’t stray too far from how the professor has sorted the doctrine

* But sometimes, the way a professor orders/chunks things doesn’t click for you, so be unafraid to adopt alternative groupings

Fear is the Mindkiller

* Whether you’re ahead, behind, or on track, do not fear, do not respond to anxiety. It destroys the spirit.

* Study with confidence, study with pride, study to understand, study such that you can explain the content to someone else

* If you’re behind or don’t understand things, it is not because you are stupid, it is because law school is hard. Shame is a destructive emotion. Do not indulge shame.

* You are smart. You are capable. You are excited to take the final. You are not afraid of it.

Frontload the pain

* Don’t wait until you have “everything” to start synthesizing

* At this point you only have a couple of units left, just start making the outline as if you’ve done the whole class. Add the last chunks the very first days of reading web

* Enter reading week with finished products

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